How Dutch Vocational Students Strengthen Industrial Biotechnology

For start-ups and scale-ups in industrial biotechnology, finding the right talent is often a bottleneck. Highly skilled researchers are vital, but so are reliable laboratory technicians who can execute experiments consistently and accurately. In the Netherlands, vocational education (MBO) delivers exactly this type of hands-on expertise.

We spoke with Rianne Veldt-Meijer, chemistry and biochemistry lecturer and Practor Bio Sciences at MBO Rijnland, about how MBO students gain research experience, where they add value for biotech companies, and why they may be the practical edge your lab needs.

Q: Can you give a concrete example?
A: One of our students recently specialized in fermentation during an internship at Johnson & Johnson. He was responsible for monitoring processes and performing repeated analyses. These tasks may seem routine, but they are absolutely essential, and perfectly suited to MBO students. They ensure consistency and quality, which are crucial in biotech research.

Another example is our collaboration with  a Practor of Yuverta. VMBO students collect soil samples and perform very basic analyses resulting in qualitative data. The samples are then send to us, where our MBO students analyze the samples more in-depth during regular classes, delivering quantitative data. We send the results back and the Yuverta students advises the landowner based on these results.  For our students, working with real samples, and knowing this data is actually used, is far more motivating than working with mock-up data.

Q: Many start-ups rely on HBO or university graduates. What can MBO students realistically handle?
A: They are especially strong in tasks like metabolite analysis, UV-Vis measurements, or monitoring glucose concentrations in cultures. These analyses need to be performed repeatedly and to a high standard. While higher-level graduates may prefer designing experiments, MBO students excel at reliable execution.
They also play an important role in day-to-day lab operations: preparing buffers, sterilizing equipment, maintaining order. Level 3 students are trained for broad lab support, while level 4 students specialize further and can handle complex analyses and small-scale research projects.

Q: How can companies start working with MBO students?
A: The most common route is through internships. Becoming an accredited internship company is relatively straightforward. You  need a supervisor within your company with the right experience and education level and you have to show which techniques your lab can offer. If this matches diploma requirements, you’re approved. Then a student can join under the supervision of both the company and the school.

In addition, we are setting up projects where groups of students, guided by a lecturer researcher, can work on assignments outside the standard curriculum. For start-ups with limited resources, another option is outsourcing: companies can send samples to our lab, where students perform the analyses under supervision and report back results. Keep in mind that this is a hands-on educational experience; while the data is not lab-validated, it provides a valuable, cost-effective layer of supplemental data to help you better monitor and optimize your processes.

Q: How do MBO students compare with HBO or university students in the lab?
A: Their technical skills are very strong. In inter-laboratory competitions, MBO students often deliver results with smaller deviations and closer to the true values than HBO students. That comes down to practice: vocational students spend many hours mastering pipetting, sample preparation and quality control.

Q: Why should a start-up consider an MBO student instead of, say, a Master’s student?
A: Because their strengths are different. Start-ups often go through iterative research phases, changing one parameter and running the same analysis again and again. For a Master’s student, that can quickly become repetitive. For MBO students, this is exactly where their expertise lies: executing procedures consistently and precisely.

Q: What mindset should companies adopt when considering collaboration?
A: See MBO students as specialists in execution. They won’t design your research strategy, but they will ensure your experiments are performed accurately and consistently. For companies needing reliable data to make decisions, that contribution is crucial.
And it’s a two-way street: companies gain skilled support, while helping to train the next generation of lab technicians - future employees who already understand the company’s work.

Q: What’s your final message to biotech start-ups and scale-ups?
A: Don’t overlook vocational students. They are eager, capable, and practical. Whether it’s fermentation monitoring, metabolite analysis, or essential lab support, they can contribute directly to your research. If you want to know what the added value of MBO students can be for your company, feel free to contact me and we can discuss the possibilities.

For more info, please contact Rianne Veldt-Meijer via rveldt@mborijnland.nl